I’m an Unknown Actress, But Everyone Knows Me - Chapter 170

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Episode 170

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The guards who witnessed that scene shouted. Lift the tree! The chief advisor is in danger! Hurry! Those urgent cries sounded muffled, as if heard underwater. Seoryeong stared blankly up at Myeongdo. The tears that had formed in her eyes streamed down along her temples.

 

The heavy tree was lifted up by the hands of several men.

 

Myeongdo, crushed under the massive tree, desperately supported his own body. He put strength into his elbows so that Seoryeong wouldn’t be pressed down even a little. He protected her until the very end.

 

“Cough…”

 

Myeongdo spat blood from his mouth. Even so, he still looked at her to confirm whether Seoryeong was safe.

 

As if the weight of pain was nothing compared to the weight of his worry for her.

 

“…”

 

This can’t be. As if she couldn’t believe what she was seeing with her own eyes, Seoryeong’s eyes blinked slowly. Myeongdo’s gaze looking at her was unbearably tender.

 

It’s not your fault. My divination simply came true.

 

He should tell her that…

 

His eyes kept closing. He tried blinking slowly. Seoryeong, whom he had so longed to see, gradually became blurry. His focus scattered.

 

Thud. Myeongdo, who had been holding and protecting Seoryeong in his arms, collapsed sideways.

 

“…”

 

Seoryeong couldn’t say anything and just opened and closed her mouth while looking at Myeongdo. It must hurt so much, it must be unbearably painful. Seoryeong hurriedly took him into her arms.

 

Since it was a tree that had been placed at the site where the curse ritual was performed, it was full of evil energy. Myeongdo’s back was pitch black. As if it were burning up.

 

Dark red blood seeped out from his back that had been crushed by the cursed tree, staining the ground.

 

The string of Seoryeong’s five blessings wrapped around Myeongdo’s wrist snapped. Myeongdo’s red blood stained the white cloth.

 

“…Myeongdo.”

 

Seoryeong called his name for the first time. With trembling hands, she stroked Myeongdo’s cheek. However, Myeongdo still didn’t open his eyes.

 

Seoryeong held the limp Myeongdo tightly in her arms. But he still didn’t open his eyes.

 

“Myeongdo, Myeongdo… Sob, ah…! Myeongdo…!”

 

Seoryeong cried like a child. As if Myeongdo was the only word she could say. With a face messy with blood, sweat, and tears, she held Myeongdo in her arms.

 

“Myeongdo, please, ah, please…! No…! Myeong, do…”

 

With completely broken pronunciation, she called his name as if pleading. That name she had never been able to call because it was too precious.

 

“Myeongdo…! Please, please…”

 

But Myeongdo with his eyes closed didn’t answer.

 

As if he were dead.

 

As if it were an eternal farewell.

 

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

“Let the criminal hear-.”

 

Seonghui, bound with rope, desperately shook his head. The area under Seonghui’s eyes, as he looked at the palace he had so desired, was pitch black. He resembled the evil things he had commanded.

 

“The criminal Seonghui’s crimes are deep and heavy. Not only did he arbitrarily collect the people’s wealth to satisfy his greed, but he also raised private soldiers to covet power privately, plotted rebellion to disturb the nation, and conspired with shamans to commit treason – how could he ever fully pay for these crimes?”

 

The King sat in his high seat today as well. Seonghui tried struggling, but he only looked like a wriggling insect. No dignity could be felt from him whatsoever.

 

“Therefore, by law, I judge the criminal Seonghui – stripping him of his position as prince.”

 

“This cannot be, this cannot be…!”

 

“Confining him to prison so he may never see light again.”

 

Bang! With that sound, the prison door closed after throwing Seonghui inside. Seonghui, who had been thrown against the wall, quickly crawled over and banged the bars with his head.

 

“You bastards! You insolent bastards! I will surely remember this! When I! When I become king! Do you think I’ll let you be!”

 

Clang, clang clang. Seonghui rammed the bars until his forehead bled. But there was no one beyond the door.

 

“Hmm-. Mmm…”

 

A song flowed from inside a wooden box placed near Seonghui. From inside the box densely surrounded by talismans, Yeomga quietly sang a song. It was a song he had heard somewhere before.

 

Jo Gwi – it was the same as the humming his mother used to sing for him. Yeomga was singing a lullaby.

 

Inside the confined box, she was thinking of her child again. Like a curse.

 

“Aaah!”

 

Seonghui, trapped in the same space as Yeomga, wailed.

 

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

The nation busily moved forward. The King and Yunhui worked hard to rebuild the broken places.

 

“Including Cheonmaekji, Hyeounji, Chimyeongji… appointing new inspectors to the above nine locations…”

 

They had to recover the national treasury that Seonghui had embezzled and care for the people there. Yunhui decided to tour those places once more as his duty as Crown Prince.

 

And he had to personally examine the newly appointed officials. This time, they absolutely had to properly care for the people.

 

“I trust you.”

 

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

 

Yunhui, having received his orders, mounted his horse. But he couldn’t head forward quickly. He looked back several times. His face was full of worry.

 

Myeongdo still had his eyes closed.

 

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

Seoryeong was beside Myeongdo, whose upper body was wrapped in bandages. Just as he had once done for Seoryeong when she was bedridden after being caught in the rain, she soaked a handkerchief in cold water and wiped his forehead. The white handkerchief touched his pale face.

 

“…”

 

Since that day, Myeongdo had been unable to wake up like this the entire time. Seoryeong, with her shortened hair, quietly crouched and stayed by Myeongdo’s side.

 

No matter how much divine power she poured out, Myeongdo remained the same.

 

Seoryeong didn’t cry. But she had eyes that looked like she was about to cry.

 

As she looked down at Myeongdo who wouldn’t open his eyes, the sun set and rose again behind Seoryeong. Before she knew it, her cut hair had grown quite a bit.

 

Like proof that the world was flowing even without Myeongdo.

 

Autumn leaves scattered, snow fell, and until only bare branches could be seen again, Seoryeong never left Myeongdo’s side. She only silently watched him.

 

She couldn’t bring herself to say she loved him out of guilt.

 

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

Seoryeong visited the King who sat in his tall chair. He looked somewhat lonely in the vast office. Seoryeong knelt with proper etiquette.

 

“I have been in your debt for a long time.”

 

“…Will you leave?”

 

“Yes. I must.”

 

Seoryeong smiled faintly. The King, who had been looking at documents, looked down at her.

 

There crouched a small, delicate girl who was hard to believe had saved the nation.

 

“What will you do if Myeongdo doesn’t open his eyes like that?”

 

“…All the cursed energy has completely disappeared. Once he regains his strength, he will get up and recover.”

 

Seoryeong spoke with effort, as if desperately holding back tears.

 

“Perhaps he can’t open his eyes because I’m here. It happened because of me.”

 

Seoryeong trembled her hands folded on the floor. Just hearing Myeongdo’s name seemed to make her heart constrict.

 

“Make one last wish before you go. I will grant you anything.”

 

The King said this to Seoryeong, and Seoryeong answered thus.

 

“…Please look after the weak with compassion. I have nothing more to wish for.”

 

At that answer, the King slowly rose from his seat. And he came down step by step, finally standing before Seoryeong.

 

The King bowed his waist.

 

“Your Majesty…!”

 

“Thank you.”

 

It was a greeting to the hero who had risked her life to save the nation.

 

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

Seoryeong came to see Myeongdo one last time. Lying on the white bed, he was breathing regularly today as well.

 

Seoryeong smiled quietly. Having always been a heavy sleeper, Seoryeong had never once seen Myeongdo asleep. It was always the opposite, but thanks to that, now Seoryeong could recall every moment with Myeongdo even without him there.

 

Smiling Myeongdo, stern Myeongdo, angry Myeongdo, sad Myeongdo, Myeongdo who would run to her calling her name, and even Myeongdo with his eyes closed.

 

“….”

 

Seoryeong took one last look at Myeongdo, as if she would never forget him.

 

Then she slipped something under Myeongdo’s hand.

 

“Take care….”

 

It was the ornament he had once given her, saying it was his most precious possession. After returning the ornament he said he had received from his deceased mother, Seoryeong left without looking back.

 

Thud-. The sound of the sliding door closing was heard.

 

Myeongdo’s hand holding the ornament twitched slightly.

 

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

Seoryeong walked slowly. Now that a life without purpose had begun, there was no need to hurry. Her steps leaving the palace were leisurely.

 

The world that Myeongdo and Seoryeong had risked their lives to protect was peaceful. As if nothing had ever happened.

 

Finding this unbearably bitter, Seoryeong forced the corners of her mouth up into a smile.

 

“Come, come! I’m selling very fine goods here!”

 

A merchant grabbed Seoryeong’s shoulder and called out to her. Seoryeong looked at the merchant. Thinking he had found an easy mark upon seeing the gentle-looking woman, the merchant’s mouth moved without rest.

 

“Buying Five Blessings Cord for the Five Blessings Festival is old news now! Have you heard of the Heavenly Blessing String?”

 

“Heavenly Blessing String?”

 

“Ah, it’s called the Heavenly Blessing String because it draws blessings from heaven! With this string, love will be fulfilled.”

 

Looking at the string carved with peach blossoms, Seoryeong laughed as if absurd.

 

“What? You don’t believe it? With the Heavenly Blessing String right in front of you that makes the person you want to see desperately come looking for you?”

 

But soon she touched the string with longing eyes. Since her wrist felt empty anyway, she took one, thinking of it as being fooled.

 

“…How much.”

 

“I’ll specially give it to you for twenty nyang-.”

 

“If you’re thinking of taking advantage of me, forget it. I now know fair prices.”

 

“Well, if you buy it with flower shoes, I’ll specially give it to you for twenty nyang-.”

 

Seoryeong had learned many things from Myeongdo. How to live honestly, how to help people, and even how to love.

 

With the Heavenly Blessing String wrapped around her wrist, Seoryeong once again set off on a long journey. Alone on the path she had walked with Myeongdo.

 

Walking the mountain path and pushing through grass fields, she arrived at Jeongan’s grave.

 

“Jeongan, I’m here.”

 

Seoryeong placed the newly bought flower shoes in front of it. Though it was a grave overgrown with weeds, it didn’t look lonely thanks to the sunlight shining down. It even looked warm.

 

“You were right. Things flowed according to their natural course.”

 

Seoryeong fidgeted with her feet in front of the grave. She kicked up dirt with her toes. There was so much she wanted to say to Jeongan. But she couldn’t say a single word. Her eyes reddened.

 

“…Thank you.”

 

Only after a long while did Seoryeong speak.

 

“I’ll live well.”

 

Just to say these few words. Seoryeong smiled bravely. Unlike her upturned lips, her lonely gaze remained the same.

 

Like that, Seoryeong looked at Jeongan’s grave before turning away. In the place Seoryeong had left, a single flower shoe that no one could wear was left alone.

 

It was then that horse hooves appeared on the screen.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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